What God Hath Joined Together
by writer writing
Summary: A oneshot of Kid Cole and Sister Ruth's proposal, wedding, and honeymoon.


The wedding attendees were pouring out of the church moving to the reception area, but Sister Ruth and Kid Cole were on the outer edge of the crowd and their slower steps soon separated them enough to allow them to carry on a private conversation.

"You ain't scared, are you?" Sister Ruth asked as she inhaled the heavenly scent of the yellow and white flower arrangement.

"Me? Why would I be scared?" he asked, not having the tiniest clue what she was talking about.

"Well, Dr. Mike gave me this here bouquet. You know what that means, don't you?"

"That the person that gets the bouquet will be the next to marry," he answered matter of factly, not even pausing to look in her direction.

He still hadn't picked up on the hints she was trying to throw his way, so she gave it one more shot. "It was a nice wedding, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, real nice. Marriage ain't for everybody, but you could tell it was right for them. I imagine they're going to be very happy together."

Sheer exasperation crossed her features, and she came to a halt. Her hands became fists that planted themselves on her hips. "You going to marry me or not?"

He finally looked at her and his face read genuine confusion. "I thought that went without saying."

Relief replaced the exasperation and the corners of her lips began to twitch in amusement in spite of herself. "You ain't the most romantic man in creation, are you?"

"You want me to get down on my knees or something?"

"We're too old for that knee business. I'm just saying a lady kind of expects to be asked is all."

"Who you calling old?" he teased. Then he sobered and covered her free hand with his. "Ruth McKenzie, I love you. Will you marry me?"

"I'll think about it," she said. She chuckled at the alarmed look he gave her and was quick to add, "Of course, I'll marry you. I've only been trying to get you to propose for the last 30 seconds or so."

They resumed their walking having gotten it settled. "You do realize that's the first time you told me you loved me," she commented.

"I thought—"

"It went without saying," she finished for him. "Maybe, but it don't hurt none to hear it."

He smiled and bent down and over to kiss her cheek. "I expect my actions to do the talking, but I'll remember you need to hear it."

"I ain't saying the actions aren't nice," she said, slipping her hand into his.

They stayed through the whole reception. When it was over, night had fallen. He walked her to the house she was staying at. A widow lived there by herself, and she had kindly taken Sister Ruth in for the duration of her stay in Colorado Springs.

"If I could, I'd marry you tonight," he said, pulling her into his arms. "Just so I wouldn't have to say good night."

"God willing, there won't be many more of these nights," she said, stroking the side of his face.

The widow, who was well into her 80s, was still up and she yelled from somewhere in the house, "Don't make me throw a pitcher of water on you, young people!"

They both chuckled at being called young people and at the thought of getting doused with water and just with the general giddiness that came from being in love. They were quick to pull apart though in case the widow made good on her threat.

"Let's set a date, Ruth. The day after tomorrow ain't too soon, is it? I know Reverend Johnson would marry us. We could honeymoon in Denver and then go onto St. Louis. I got me a small house there. It ain't much, just a place I brought to hole up in when I was feeling poorly, but we could settle down there for a little while anyway. What do you say?"

"I don't know, Kid. I got me a wagon full of pews and horses to get rid of, you know."

"There's people all the time looking for wagons and horses. What if I could get it sold for you tomorrow?"

"Ain't no use in having a long engagement, I reckon," she agreed with a happy smile. "You got yourself a deal."

"I'll meet you at the café tomorrow," he said, risking a quick peck even with the widow watching from somewhere inside the house.

sss

Kid Cole had already saved them a table and was waiting when Sister Ruth got there.

"I done found us a buyer for the horses and wagon," he informed her.

"You're kidding," she said as she took a seat across from him.

"Nope, I told you I'm determined to marry you tomorrow," he said, reaching out across the table to take her hand. "I went ahead and ordered too. I figured we have a busy day ahead of us. You okay with eggs, biscuits, and gravy?"

"My mouth's watering at the thought. They serving sausage gravy or red eye gravy?"

"Looks like sausage gravy," he said, peering over at the young girl Grace had hired to keep the café running during her honeymoon. She was adding plenty of pepper to the white colored gravy.

"Good. I like red eye gravy well enough, but nothing quite compares with a good, thick, country gravy."

The girl brought the plates over, and they discussed all the arrangements that had to be made between bites and sopping up the gravy with the buttermilk biscuits. The girl was a good cook and they enjoyed the breakfast, but she had a ways to go before catching up with Grace.

"Dr. Mike, Sully!" Kid Cole called out, seeing them walking on the other side of the street.

They heard his call and came over to the table.

"We're getting married tomorrow and we was wondering if you and Sully would stand up as witnesses with us," Kid Cole explained.

"Of course, we will," Michaela beamed.

Michaela was called away to take care of an injured man before there could be any further discussion between them, and Sully followed in case she needed some help.

Kid Cole and Sister Ruth did the preparations together. They found out the stage schedule and bought tickets, donated the pews to the worship service they had in the shantytown, delivered the horses and wagon to the buyer Kid Cole had found, and brought a few things from Loren to put together a lunch for them to take on the coach, knowing food on the stops were sometimes ridiculously high. By then it was late afternoon, and their last errand of the day was to see the reverend.

The reverend was inside the church with his Bible open, working on his sermon for Sunday, when they came in.

"Sister Ruth, Kid Cole. What a surprise," he said with a smile. "Did you need something?"

Kid Cole put an arm around Ruth's waist and said, "If you ain't got nothing planned tomorrow, we'd like you to marry us some time before the 1:00 stage for Denver leaves."

"That's awful fast, isn't it?" he asked, a small frown replacing the earlier smile.

"We already got things lined up. It won't be a problem," Sister Ruth told him. "Dr. Mike and Sully are going to act as witnesses and if a few of the folks we've gotten to know want to come, they're more than welcome, but it ain't going to be a big to-do. We're more interested in getting married than the ceremony."

"I see. Well, I don't like to marry a couple unless I speak to them before they embark on such a big decision. There's a lot to consider."

"Makes sense. Speak away, Reverend," she agreed, not phased in the least. She took a seat on the front pew. Kid Cole seemed more reluctant about this impending conversation, but he sat down next to her.

"You haven't known each other for very long," the reverend pointed out.

"Sometimes it don't take long for people to know they're meant for each other," Sister Ruth said, smiling over at Kid Cole.

"You sound like you're trying to talk us out of getting married," Kid Cole said, casting a scrutinizing gaze on the man of the cloth.

"I'm not trying to talk you out of anything," he assured him. "I just want to help you think a little bit. Why do you want to get married?"

"Because we love each other," Kid Cole said curtly.

Sister Ruth grinned at his short answer and answered the reverend more fully, "I know we haven't known each other as long as a lot of couples and we look a lot different at first glance. A faith healer and a gun fighter might not seem like a match made in heaven, but it is. In just the short time we've known each other, I believe we've influenced each other to strive to be better people and ain't that what marriage is supposed to be about?"

He gave a nod, liking the answer. "But are you financially ready for marriage? Being a clergyman, I understand being dependent on people's generosity," he said, looking to Sister Ruth. Then he looked at Kid Cole "And I know going from town to town doesn't give you much of a chance to save up a lot of money. I say this not to pry but to let you know that money can be a big issue between couples."

"I'm not wealthy, but when my pockets start reaching empty, I track down men who need to face the law and collect the rewards on them," Kid Cole said.

She looked at her intended sharply. "But those days are over now, ain't they?"

"They are if we don't need the money," he said.

"You think I want to risk you getting shot? We'll find some other way to make ends meet. God will provide."

"Listen, if you think becoming my wife means becoming my boss, you got another thing coming."

"I do, do I? If you think I'm going to spend our married life worrying about your safety, you got another thing coming. I don't even like that thing around your waist."

He sighed and then stood up to unbuckle his gun belt. He placed it in her lap. "Happy?"

She smiled and patted his leg as he sat back down. "Thank you. I know that was hard for you." She gave it back to him. "If you promise not to point that thing at anybody, you can hang onto it."

"It seems you got the give and take down, which uh brings me to the next issue uh husband and wifely duties," the reverend said, looking thoroughly embarrassed now.

"What of it?" Kid Cole asked with a stare that made the good reverend squirm.

"You can't withhold that is to say you both have to be in agreement to not," he couldn't quite get it out with the way Kid Cole was looking at him.

Sister Ruth rescued him, blushing her own self. "I know what the Bible has to say on the subject, Reverend. It won't be an issue."

"Good," he said obviously relieved. "I can move on to the next topic. You have to be able to trust each other."

They reached for each other's hands. "No problems there either," Sister Ruth assured him.

"Well, I'll see you at 12:00 then," he said, standing to shake their hands and smiling at them.

sss

They had supper at the café again and that's where Michaela and Sully found them. They told them the time they had set up with the reverend and when they'd be leaving for Denver.

"I wish we had enough time to throw you a party," Michaela said. "You really should have a celebration of some kind, but maybe, Sister Ruth, you and I could get to know each other better, and Sully and Kid could get to know each other better if nothing else."

"That sounds real fine," Sister Ruth said. "I'd rather work on building a friendship than just about anything."

Kid Cole went over to Sister Ruth before he left with Sully, "This is the last night we'll be apart," he whispered so that only she could hear.

sss

"It's my last night as a bachelor. I intend to make it a good one," Kid Cole said as he took a seat at the nearest available table.

Sully sat down with him, wearing a frown. "If you're thinking of other women the night before the wedding, you might want to rethink getting or married or at least postpone it for a little while."

"I don't mean women. I've always appreciated and admired the fairer sex, but until Sister Ruth came along I never met one I loved enough to get married to. No, women ain't the problem. I mean drinking. I have a feeling once I'm married to her, those days are going to be a thing of the past."

Sully, not being much of a drinker himself, was unable to sympathize very much, but he said, "I'd say you're probably right."

"Thank you, ma'am," he said, tipping his hat to the saloon girl that had remembered his usual drink and brought it to him.

Sully could see that true to his word Kid Cole wasn't the least bit drawn to the pretty woman despite the flirtatious glances she had cast his way.

Kid Cole smiled, seeming a million miles away. "I've never seen a woman that set on fire for the Lord or more determined to see that others come to know Him. I think she'd drag people to the pearly gates if she could."

Sully chuckled appreciatively with Kid Cole.

"Only because she's got such a loving heart though," he continued. "She can't bear to think of someone not being ready for God and missing out on the love He has for man. And since finding the Lord for myself, thanks to her, I can even understand it." He took a swig of his drink. "I should feel nervous about tomorrow, but I don't. I haven't been this happy in all my life. I'm right with God now, and He's given me the love of a good woman, the best. He broke the mold when He made Sister Ruth."

"I know what you mean," Sully said.

He seemed to finally remember Sully was there, having grown lost in his thoughts of Sister Ruth. "Yeah, your Dr. Mike's one of a kind too. Somebody'll come along and snap her up if you ain't careful."

Sully didn't comment one way or the other, but his smile said he didn't intend to let that happen.

Despite his claim that it was probably his last night of drinking, Kid Cole didn't even finish his glass. He pushed the half drunken glass away and set a coin on the table. "This place don't have the draw for me that it once did. It's a depressing atmosphere in here. What do you say we have a friendly little competition with some old tin cans and bottles and test my gun against your tomahawk?"

"Sounds like fun," Sully agreed.

sss

"What do you have to wear?" Michaela asked.

They'd gone to the widow's house as Michaela wanted to help her prepare for the wedding.

Sister Ruth pulled out her best dress. It was a pale blue color edged with some lace trimming and pearl buttons.

"It's beautiful," Michaela said. "You won't believe what I brought you as a gift. It's providence." She pulled it out of her doctor bag, an exquisite piece of lace that could be used for a veil and it was almost the exact same shade of blue.

"I do love lace," Ruth said, "but I couldn't take it."

"Of course you can, and I brought you a blue silk flower too." It was a deeper blue than both the dress and veil, but it looked lovely all the same and would make a stunning addition to the ensemble. "It's my wedding gift to you. You should have something to feel to make your wedding day special. Let's see how it'll look in your hair."

Sister Ruth obligingly took a seat, so she could reach her hair better. "You're being so sweet to me. I feel like I need to apologize to you for my behavior."

"What do you mean?"

"I was a little angry with you over that sister comment and I took it out on you at the revival. The Lord don't care who's watching when He performs a miracle. I had no right to make you feel like you weren't welcome at a gathering of believers."

"Well, I did provoke you. I'm just glad we were able to settle our differences."

"Amen," she said.

"Have you been married before?" Michaela asked curiously.

"No, and I reckon it's too late to get that talking from my momma," she answered with a laugh. "But I think I've been around long enough to have an idea of how it works. I guess I'll figure out the details tomorrow."

Michaela smiled in return and then lost her smile as she confided, "Sometimes I don't think I'll ever get married."

"I've seen the way that man looks at you. You're going to get married. Mark my words."

Michaela blushed, knowing she was talking about Sully. "There." Her work had produced a lovely, looser updo that made her look years younger.

Sister Ruth looked into the bubbly looking glass at her reflection, holding up the dress in front of her to see what it would all look like together. "I almost feel like a real bride," she said happily.

"You are a real bride and a pretty one at that. Just wait until Kid Cole gets a look at you like this. I'll come by before the ceremony and help you with your hair again," she promised.

The widow knocked on the door and then stuck her head in. "As long as you gals are both here why don't you play some cards with an old woman or does that go against your morals?" she asked Sister Ruth.

"As long as we ain't gambling, sister," she answered with a chuckle.

The widow seemed a mite disappointed, but she agreed to the condition.

sss

"I don't much care for suits," Kid Cole commented to Sully as he fumbled with his tie that had come undone on the way to the church. He was outside the building, trying to use one of the church windows to help him see what he was doing. He pulled it from his neck at last. "I believe I'm going to forget the tie."

"Nah, don't forget the tie. Wear it for Sister Ruth," Sully said.

He laughed. "She loves me without it, but I tell you what, I'll wear it for you," he said, putting it back around his neck.

Sully smiled. "Don't wear it for me. I hate the things too. I'll go see how the decorations are coming inside. I know Michaela was working on dressing the church up with flowers."

Kid Cole hadn't made any progress with the tie when Sister Ruth got to the church. He was momentarily rendered speechless as he saw his bride before him in her bridal outfit, the colors serving to make her eyes even more striking.

"I thought we weren't supposed to see other until the actual wedding," he said when he finally found his voice.

"There ain't no such thing as luck, good or bad," she chided. "Beside how we going to hide from each other until the ceremony begins in a small church?" She saw the trouble he was having with his tie and made it into a neat knot like she did it every morning.

"Where'd you learn to tie a tie?" he asked.

"From watching my daddy do it on Sunday mornings," she said with a grin. "You got cold feet yet?"

"Never," he said, taking her arm, so they could walk in together. "You can't get cold feet when you're marrying the finest woman on earth."

sss

Their wedding hadn't drawn large numbers, being such short notice and not being members of the town, but there was a small crowd there nonetheless to witness their vows.

"I, Ruth Ann McKenzie, take thee, Kenneth Lee Cole, to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to obey, till death do us part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge myself to thee."

"I, Kenneth Lee Cole, take thee, Ruth Ann McKenzie, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part, according to God's holy ordinance; and thereto I pledge myself to thee."

Kid Cole hadn't had time to procure a ring for her, so they skipped that part of the ceremony and the reverend said, "Those whom God hath joined together let no man put asunder. I now pronounce them man and wife in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost."

The couple's kiss was short and sweet.

The reverend gave them a traditional blessing, knowing how much they would appreciate the words, Sister Ruth especially, as she knew that weddings were not just about celebrating the love between couples. It was also about the love of God and how the couple could support each other and their family on the way to the kingdom. "God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Ghost, bless, preserve, and keep you; the Lord mercifully with His favor look upon you; and so fill you with all spiritual benediction and grace, that ye may so live together in this life, that in the world to come ye may have life everlasting. Amen."

Love radiated from their faces when they looked at each other like beams of sunshine, and it gave Michaela hope. You were never too old to find love, and she daydreamed about what a wedding to Sully would be like.

Michaela and Sully followed Sister Ruth and Kid Cole to the stage. Sister Ruth had changed into a traveling dress, not wanting to get dust from the road all over her best dress, and Horace had seen to it that their bags were already loaded. Still, they had made it just in time.

"I'll write you when we get to St. Louis, so you know we made it there safe," Sister Ruth promised.

Kid Cole helped his wife into the coach before climbing in after her. They waved their goodbyes, but Michaela had a feeling she hadn't seen the last of them. She knew that she and Sully had formed a lasting friendship with the older couple. There were some people that you didn't need to know very long before it felt like you had known them a lifetime. The Coles were a testament to that. She was just sorry that they wouldn't be living in Colorado Springs.

sss

That night at a hotel in Denver, Sister Ruth got to the moment that she had been looking forward to and yet dreading all day. Her heart beat erratically as his eyes roamed up and down her body. She thought it was going to jump out of her chest when he drew her next to the bed and then into his arms.

He obviously felt her stiffness as he stepped back but kept a hold of her hands and said, "God's not a prude, baby. He celebrates the bodies that He created and He celebrates romantic love. 'Thy love is better than wine.'"

"'A bundle of myrrh is my well-beloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts'," she quoted, showing she was also familiar with that book of the Bible, but bright red blooms appeared on her cheeks as she did.

"'Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse; thou hast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes.'" The words became his own as his tone and look said he meant every word of it.

"Did you memorize the whole Song of Songs?" she asked with a nervous laugh.

"Just the parts that appealed to me right then," he said with a mischievous smile. "'Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet." His thumb brushed over her lips before he leaned in for a kiss.

She responded to the warm and gentle kiss with zeal, but he broke the kiss before very long in order to free her hair from the pins she wore. He gave a sharp intake of breath at seeing her with her hair down for the first time. Then he ran his fingers through the long strands to smooth and caress it as he said, "'Thy temples are like a piece of a pomegranate within thy locks." He placed a feathery kiss on each temple.

Her eyes were so full of desire at this point that it was hard to break eye contact with her, but he did in order to undo the first 2 jet-black buttons of her top, exposing her neck. "Thy neck is as a tower of ivory," Between each word he laid a passionate kiss on her neck that sent shivers of delight coursing though her.

Then he looked at her face again where his eyes traveled back to her lips. "Thy lips, O my spouse, drop as the honeycomb:" He captured her lips in a hungrier kiss than before. He pulled apart just enough to allow him to talk to her, his voice breathless with ardor. "Honey and milk are under thy tongue." He went back to her lips again, but this time he slipped his tongue into her mouth, exploring the inside as if there was honey to be found.

He had a harder time than ever breaking the kiss, but he sat her on the edge of the bed and kneeled on the floor to pick up her feet. "How beautiful are thy feet with shoes, O prince's daughter," he said, bending down and pulling them off along with her stockings.

He tugged her skirt down so that her white midcalf bloomers were exposed. "The joints of thy thighs are like jewels.'" He placed his hands on her knees and gave them loving massages.

Now that he was in reach of her hands, she loosened the tie and pulled it off. He smiled up at her, liking the feel of her taking the tie off much better than her putting it on. He laid soft, passionate kisses on her hands as they unbuttoned his shirt.

He helped her pull the shirt off and then positioned himself to finishing the process he had begun of unbuttoning her top, an achingly slow process as he placed a kiss on each newly exposed area.

When her top was discarded, he moved to her corset. He was able to make fairly quick work of her corset as Sister Ruth wore the garment as loose as possible. She didn't enjoy the feeling of not being able to take deep breaths when she needed to, but for the first time, she wondered if a lifetime of wearing it the way it should be worn would have helped her maintain a tinier waist and made her husband happier.

He seemed to sense her unspoken thoughts because his large hands roamed her waist, his touch proving that her full waist brought him no displeasure but only delight. Then he leaned her back on the bed. After removing his socks and shoes, he joined her there.

He removed her chemise and then took a moment to drink in the sight of her before continuing. "'Thy navel is like a round goblet, which wanteth not liquor.'" His tongue encircled said area and the warmth it elicited in her was overwhelming.

Her hands roamed his bare arms and chest before they lowered to find the band around his waist, but she had trouble doing much with it because she felt a bit like jelly at all the things he was doing to her body and he lowered the band for her, his pants joining the growing pile of clothes.

"Thy stature is like to a palm tree," he said as his hand glided down her body, "and thy breasts to clusters of grapes. I will go up to the palm tree, I will take hold of the boughs thereof." His hand now glided back up her body and over her breasts.

He removed the last garment keeping their bodies from joining together, her drawers. "'Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled'," he said, his deep, brown eyes pleading with her as he spoke his request.

There was no need for the pleading as she opened her legs willingly and the two fleshes became one as God had intended.

sss

They lay blissfully under the covers while moonlight filtered into the room. She was touched beyond words that he had memorized scripture to make their first night together so memorable, and she thanked God for giving her such a loving, gentle man as her hands explored the expanse of his chest.

"'Set me as a seal upon thine heart for love is strong as death'," he whispered in her ear.

"'Many waters cannot quench love neither can the floods drown it'," she whispered back.

"'I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine'," he said before covering her mouth with his, fanning the unquenchable flames of their love and desire for each other.

The End


End file.
